Joanna Murray-Smith has crafted a sympathetic and thorough expose of the life of Australia’s first female Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. Justine Clarke plays the part of Julia and takes us from the time of her birth in Wales up to the famous misogyny speech delivered in parliament. Director Sarah Goodes has taken her story and placed it in the context of what was considered acceptable behaviour towards women and highlighted the enormous battle that Julia Gillard faced over and above her work as Prime Minister.
The Dunstan Playhouse set is modernistic, with mirrored walls creating a backdrop of action that is both projected and reflected. Clarke is a confident and entertaining performer, starting with the events surrounding Julia’s birth in Wales and the terrible mining tragedy that killed several miners. It is perhaps this event that sowed the seeds of caring for her fellow mankind. Moving to Australia while she was still quite young, she went on to study Law at Adelaide University. During her time she was leader of the Australian Union of Students and President of the Carlton branch of the Australian Labour Party.
She was deputy PM when Rudd was leader and lost control of the party due to his inflated ego and explosive temper. Taking over the reins, she was subjected to a non-stop barrage of questions, comments and insults about her life, her husband and why she chose to be barren. All insults that male politicians would never have to endure. The story gives multiple examples of downright hostile actions by the media and other politicians, despite the fact that she was quite prolific in passing bills.
The “speech” was not a prepared one, but in response to Tony Abbott, leader of the opposition, accusing Gillard of being sexist and misogynist in supporting speaker Peter Slipper after he was found to have been sending inappropriate texts to a young staffer. This was the so-called straw that broke the camel’s back and led Gillard to list in great detail the numerous occasions that Abbott had himself been grossly sexist and misogynistic.
The speech was as powerful and insightful delivered in the Dunstan Playhouse as it was in the Australian Parliament in 2012. Fortunately Julia Gillard has gone on to support young woman in leadership positions. This play is a shameful record of the treatment of Julia Gillard, simply because of being a women, but also a celebration of what can be possible. A well-deserved enthusiastic standing ovation for Justine Clarke and Jessica Bentley, who played the young woman stopping to pick the flowers along the way. A thoughtful and well-presented story that pulls no punches, yet delivers the story in a respectful way.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
The reviewer attended the performance on 17th August
Julia runs until August 31st at the Dunstan Playhouse
Check ticket availability here
